APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PREPARING A MULTIPLE PHASE CONFECTIONERY PRODUCT
The present disclosure provides an apparatus for producing a multiple phase confectionery article. The apparatus may include a housing with a chamber, the housing having a first inlet and a first outlet, and a second inlet and a second outlet. A rotary valve may be disposed within the chamber, the rotary valve having a first bore and a second bore. The first bore may provide fluid communication between the first inlet and the first outlet when the rotary valve is in a first position, and the second bore may provide fluid communication between the second inlet and the second outlet when the rotary valve is in a second position. The apparatus may include a dispensing member in fluid communication with each outlet to dispense a continuous confectionery article having sequential amounts of a first confectionery material and a second confectionery material. Each confectionery material may have a different visual and/or organoleptic property.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/765,865 filed on Feb. 7, 2006, the entire content of which is incorporated herein.
BACKGROUNDMultiple component confectionery products are known in the art. Such products are typically prepared by coextruding two or more fluid confectionery materials to form a laminated multiple component confectionery product. Problems exist, however, in the production of a multiple component confectionery product having different confectionery materials sequentially disposed in the product. This is due in part to the unpredictable flow properties of many confectionery materials when placed in a fluid state. The complications associated with unpredictable confectionery flow properties are further amplified with the discontinuous dispensing that occurs during sequential formation of a continuous multiple component confectionery product. A need therefore exists for an apparatus for sequentially dispensing confectionery material regardless of the confectionery flow characteristics in order to form a continuous multiple component confectionery product.
SUMMARYThe present disclosure provides an apparatus for producing a multiple phase confectionery article. The apparatus may include a housing with a chamber, the housing having a first inlet and a first outlet, and a second inlet and a second outlet. A rotary valve may be disposed within the chamber, the rotary valve having a first bore and a second bore. The first bore may provide fluid communication between the first inlet and the first outlet when the rotary valve is in a first position, and the second bore may provide fluid communication between the second inlet and the second outlet when the rotary valve is in a second position.
In an embodiment, the first and second inlets may be in fluid communication with respective first and second sources of fluid confectionery material. In a further embodiment, the first and second bores may be disposed in a vertically stacked arrangement in the rotary valve. In a further embodiment, the first bore and the second bore each may extend diametrically through the rotary valve. In yet a further embodiment, the bores may be in a vertically stacked arrangement and may be skewed with respect to each other.
In an embodiment, the apparatus may include a dispensing member in fluid communication with the first outlet and the second outlet. An amount of the first fluid confectionery may be dispensed from the dispensing member when the rotary valve is in the first position. Similarly, an amount of second fluid confectionery may be dispensed from the dispensing member when the rotary valve is positioned in the second dispensing position. In an embodiment, the dispensed first and second fluid confectionery materials may form a continuous confectionery product.
In an embodiment, the confectionery product may have a sequential order of first and second confectionery materials. In yet a further embodiment, the confectionery product may have a repeating sequence of first and second confectionery materials. In an embodiment, the continuous confectionery product may have a delineation line between the first confectionery material and the second confectionery material. In an further embodiment, the continuous confectionery product may include a blend area between the first confectionery material and the second confectionery material.
In an embodiment, the apparatus may include a conveyor proximate to the dispensing member for receiving the dispensed fluid confectionery. The rotary valve may be placed in operative communication with the conveyor by way of a controller. In an embodiment, movement of the conveyor may be coordinated with the rotation of the rotary valve by the controller.
In yet another embodiment, a method for depositing a multiple phase confectionery article is provided. The method may include providing a depositing apparatus having a housing and a rotary valve disposed within the housing. The housing may have a first inlet and outlet arrangement and a second inlet and outlet arrangement. Each inlet may be in fluid communication with a respective fluid confectionery material. The outlets may be in fluid communication with a dispensing member. The method may further include moving the rotary valve to a first position to dispense a first fluid confectionery from the dispensing member, further moving the rotary valve to a second position to dispense a second fluid confectionery from the dispensing member, and forming a continuous confectionery product having an amount of the first confectionery material and an amount of the second confectionery material.
In an embodiment, the method may include rapidly further moving the rotary valve to the second position to form a delineation line between the first and the second confectionery material in the confectionery product.
In an embodiment, the method may include slowly further moving the rotary valve to the second position to form a blend area between the first and second confectionery materials in the confectionery product.
In an embodiment, the method may include receiving the confectionery product on a conveyor. In yet a further embodiment, the moving of the rotary valve may be coordinated with the receiving of the confectionery product on the conveyor.
In a further embodiment, a method for depositing a multiple phase confectionery article is provided. The method includes providing a depositing apparatus having a housing and a rotary valve disposed within the housing. The housing may have a plurality of inlet and outlet arrangements. Each inlet may be in fluid communication with a respective source of fluid confectionery material. Each outlet may be in fluid communication with a dispensing member. The method further entails sequentially moving the rotary valve to dispense an amount of each of the plurality of confectionery materials from each respective inlet and outlet arrangement through the dispensing member, and forming a continuous confectionery product having a sequence or a sequential order of each confectionery material.
In an embodiment, the method may include repeating the sequentially moving to form a continuous confectionery product having a repeating sequence of each confectionery material. In an embodiment, the sequentially moving may include moving the rotary valve between a first position, a second position, a third position, and a fourth position in a predetermined order to produce a continuous confectionery product with respective first, second, third, and fourth confectionery materials in a repeating sequence.
In an embodiment, a confectionery article is provided that includes a confectionery product having a width and a thickness, the confectionery product having at least two confectionery materials. Each confectionery material may extend across the width and through the thickness of the confectionery product, with each confectionery material having a visually different property. In an embodiment, the confectionery material may be chewing gum, bubble gum, nougat, pliable confectionery material, taffy, soft candy, chewy candy, caramel, and combinations thereof. The difference in visual property may be based on color, surface texture, confectionery composition and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the confectionery article may contain from about 3 to about 10 confectionery materials. In a further embodiment, each visually different confectionery material further includes a respective different organoleptic property. The difference in organoleptic property may be based on flavor, aroma, softness, mouthfeel, and combinations thereof.
In an embodiment, each confectionery material is visible from the top, bottom, and sides of the confectionery article.
In an embodiment, the visually different confectionery materials form a visual unit. The confectionery product may include a repeating sequence from about two visual units to about 50 visual units.
In an embodiment, the confectionery materials may be coextruded confectionery materials or sequentially dispensed confectionery materials.
In an embodiment, the confectionery article may have a thickness from about 0.03 inches to about 2.0 inches and a length from about 1 foot to about 15 feet. In a further embodiment, each confectionery material may have a length from about 1 inch to about one foot and a width from about 0.25 inches to about 12 inches.
In an embodiment, the confectionery article may include a delineation line between each confectionery material. In a further embodiment, the confectionery article may include a blend area between each confectionery material. In yet a further embodiment, the confectionery article may include a combination of delineation lines and blend areas between the confectionery materials.
Additional features and advantages are described herein, and will be apparent from, the following Detailed Description and the Figures.
Referring to the Figures generally, where like reference numerals denote like structure and elements, and in particular, to
Each individual inlet and outlet extends through housing 12 to provide fluid communication between chamber 14 and the housing exterior. For example, inlet/outlet 18a, 18b and inlet/outlet 20a, 20b each extend through housing 12 as shown in
Each inlet may be in fluid communication with a corresponding source of confectionery material. For example, a first source of confectionery material may be in fluid communication with inlet 18a and a second source of confectionery material may be placed in fluid communication with inlet 20a and so on. The confectionery material in each source may be the same or different. Each confectionery source may be any container or reservoir suitably adapted to contain or otherwise hold a quantity of flowable confectionery material as is commonly known in the art, such as a hopper or an extruder, for example. The confectionery material may be any hard candy, soft candy, chewing gum, or other confectionery substance, or compound that has a fluid phase or may take a flowable form. In other words, the confectionery material may be melted, form a syrup, or be dissolved in a liquid to become flowable as is commonly known in the art. The skilled artisan will appreciate that the moisture content (and concomitant viscosity) of the confectionery material may vary greatly. The moisture content of the flowable phase of the confectionery substrate may typically be in the range of about 2% to about 20% by weight of the confectionery material. The flowable confectionery material may be subsequently cooled or solidified at room temperature to form a solid or semi-solid confectionery. Nonlimiting examples of suitable confectionery materials that are flowable or may placed into a flowable state include syrups, liquids or solids for making hard candies, soft candies, lollipops, fondants, toffees, jellies, chewing gums, chocolates, gelatins and nougats. The confectionery material may include sugar or may be sugar-free. Coloring may be added to the confectionery substrate as desired. The confectionery material may also include a pharmaceutical product or a medicament.
Inner surface 34 (
Rotary valve 16 may be disposed within chamber 14 as shown in
In an embodiment, gasket 36 may be provided to surround the orifice of inlet 18a on inner wall 34 of housing 12 as shown in
In a further embodiment, a gasket 136 may surround the orifice of each bore 126, 128, 130, and 132 of rotary valve 116 in a similar manner as shown in
In a further embodiment, rotary valve 216 may include tubular gasket 236 disposed in one, some, or all bores 226, 228, 230, and 232 as shown in
In an embodiment, rotary valve 16 may include one or more gaskets 38 circumferentially disposed about the exterior surface of the body of rotary valve 16 as shown in
In an embodiment, rotary valve 16 may be rotated or otherwise moved to a first position as illustrated in
In an embodiment, rotary valve 16 may be rotated to a second position as illustrated in
In a further embodiment, the bores and inlet/outlet pairs may be arranged such that fluid communication between a single inlet/outlet pair may exist at any given time. In other words, when first fluid confectionery material is flowing through inlet/outlet 18a, 18b by way of bore 26, apparatus 10 may be configured to prevent fluid communication between any other inlet/outlet. This is apparent in
In an embodiment, apparatus 10 may be a part of system 100 for producing a continuous multiple phase confectionery article as shown in
In an embodiment, apparatus 10 may be a part of system 100 for producing a multiple phase confectionery product as shown in
In an embodiment, confectionery product 50 may be a continuous strand with each confectionery material 52, 54, 56, 58 integral to each adjacent confectionery material.
In an embodiment, confectionery strand 50 may include an amount of at least two confectionery materials having a visually different property, or confectionery materials 52, 54, 56, and 58, each having a visually different property. As each confectionery material is sequentially dispensed, each confectionery material may extend across the entire width and the entire thickness of confectionery strand 50 as shown in
In an embodiment, confectionery product 50 may include delineation lines 60 between each confectionery material as shown in
In an embodiment, delineation lines 60 may be obtained by manipulation of rotary valve 16. In particular, rapid movement or rotation of rotary valve 16 between different positions (i.e., between first position to second position, between second position to third position, between fourth position to first position, etc.) abruptly changes the flow between individual confectionery materials. This abrupt change or rapid movement yields a clean, distinct demarcation line between adjacent confectionery materials in confectionery product 50. A time lag may or may not exist between the rapid rotation of rotary valve 16 (the formation of the delineation line) and the appearance of the delineation line between adjacent confectionery materials upon deposit of confectionery material from dispensing member 40.
In an embodiment, system 100 may include a pressure sensing device 64 in operative communication with inlet 18a, 20a, 22a, and 24a as shown in
In an embodiment, confectionery product 50 dispensed from system 100 may have a width W and a thickness T as shown in
In a further embodiment, rotation of rotary valve 16 between positions may be coordinated with movement of conveyor 51. This coordination between valve rotation and conveyor movement may be utilized to further enhance, demarcate, or clarify delineation lines 60. Rotary valve 16 may be placed in operative communication with conveyor 51 by way of a controller, which may be in operative communication with conveyor 51. The controller may be a programmable logic controller, or other device as commonly known in the art. The controller may then be used to direct valve rotation while simultaneously halting conveyor movement during valve rotation. For example, the controller may direct rotary valve 16 to rotate from one dispensing position to another dispensing position while simultaneously directing conveyor 51 to halt. Once confectionery material flow resumes (i.e., once fluid communication is established between an inlet/outlet arrangement), the controller may be used to direct the conveyor to resume movement. Thus, valve rotation may be essentially transparent to movement of confectionery strand 50 as confectionery flow occurs simultaneously with conveyor movement and confectionery flow halts with conveyor stoppage.
In certain products, delineation lines between the confectionery materials may not be desired. In an embodiment, apparatus 10 may be used to form a confectionery product with blend areas 62 between the individual confectionery materials as shown in
In an embodiment, blend areas 62 may be formed by slowly moving rotary valve between dispensing positions. For example, blend area 62 between first confectionery material 52 and fourth confectionery material 58 (
In a further embodiment, rotary valve 16 may be configured so that the bores may be in a skewed relation (i.e., neither parallel nor intersecting) with respect to each other. This skewed bore (i.e., bore orifices do not align to make a straight line) orientation may also permit simultaneous or near simultaneous dispensing of two or more confectionery materials for the formation of blend areas 62.
In an embodiment,
In an embodiment, system 100 may be configured with redundant confectionery dispensing lines (of similar or different materials) to ensure continuous production and account for line start-up time and, line maintenance time. For example, first and second confectionery sources may hold the same confectionery material with rotary valve in the first position (line 1) or second position (line 2) dispensing this first confectionery material. The other lines may contain other confectionery materials. Line 1 may dispense the first material (from the first source) while line 2 is prepared, repaired, or maintained. Similarly, line 2 may dispense the first confectionery material (from the second source) while line 1 is prepared, repaired, or maintained. The inoperative line may be avoided by simply rotating rotary valve to other active dispensing lines. Apparatus 10 and/or system 100 may be advantageously used in a production environment to increase production times, reduce equipment downtime, and increase productivity.
In an embodiment, a method for depositing a multiple phase confectionery article is provided. The method may include moving rotary valve 16 to a first position to dispense a first fluid confectionery material (such as first confectionery material 52) from dispensing member 40. The method may further include further moving rotary valve 16 to a second position to dispense a second fluid confectionery (such as confectionery material 54) from dispensing member 40, and forming a continuous confectionery product having sequential amounts of the first and second confectionery material.
In an embodiment, the method may include sequentially moving the rotary valve to dispensing positions in order to form a confectionery product with a repeating order of sequentially arranged confectionery materials. For example, rotary valve 16 may be moved the into the following dispensing positions: first position, second position, third position, and fourth position. This order of movement may be exercised to produce confectionery product 50 having confectionery materials in the following order: 52, 54, 56, and 58 as shown in
In a further embodiment, the sequential movement of the rotary valve may be predetermined. For example, the rotary valve may be moved in the following predetermined sequence: first position, second position, third position. This sequence may then be repeated as necessary. Repetition of this predetermined sequential rotary valve movement may yield a confectionery product having repeating sequences of confectionery material in the following order: [52, 54, 56]-[52, 54, 56]-[52, 54, 56]-etc. Alternatively, rotary valve 16 may be rotated in a random manner to produce a confectionery product having a random order or no pre-determined order of individual confectionery materials.
The continuous confectionery product 50 produced by system 100 may be cut and packaged to form a confectionery article having any of the above-described characteristics. In an embodiment, the confectionery article may have a length from about one foot to about 15 feet, or about 6 feet to about 15 feet wherein the length of each confectionery material may be from about 1 inch to from about one inch to about one foot or from about 3 inches to about 9 inches. In a further embodiment, the confectionery article may have a thickness from about 0.03 inches to about 2.0 inches and a length from about 1 foot to about 15 feet. In a further embodiment, each confectionery material may have a width from about from about 0.25 inches to about 12 inches.
It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present subject matter and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.
Claims
1. An apparatus for producing a multiple phase confectionery article comprising:
- a housing having a chamber, the housing having a first inlet and a first outlet, and a second inlet and a second outlet;
- a rotary valve disposed within the chamber, the rotary valve having a first bore and a second bore, each bore extending through the rotary valve; and
- the first bore providing fluid communication between the first inlet and the first outlet when the rotary valve is in a first position, and the second bore providing fluid communication between the second inlet and the second outlet when the rotary valve is in a second position.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a first fluid confectionery source in fluid communication with the first inlet and a second fluid confectionery source in fluid communication with the second inlet.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a dispensing member in fluid communication with the first outlet and the second outlet.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a first fluid confectionery material is dispensed from the dispensing member when the rotary valve is in the first position and a second fluid confectionery material is dispensed from the dispensing member when the rotary valve is in the second position, the dispensed first and second fluid confectionery materials forming a continuous confectionery product.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the continuous confectionery product has a delineation line between the first confectionery material and the second confectionery material.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the continuous confectionery product has a blend area between the first confectionery material and the second confectionery material.
7. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a conveyor proximate to the dispensing member for receiving an amount of a dispensed fluid confectionery material, the conveyor in operative communication with the rotary valve.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the movement of the conveyor is coordinated with the rotation of the rotary valve.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second bores are disposed in a vertically stacked arrangement in the rotary valve.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first bore and the second bore each extend diametrically through the rotary valve.
11. A method for depositing a multiple phase confectionery article comprising:
- providing a depositing apparatus having a housing and a rotary valve disposed within the housing, the housing having a first inlet and outlet arrangement and a second inlet and outlet arrangement, the inlets in fluid communication with respective first and second sources of fluid confectionery material, the outlets in fluid communication with a dispensing member;
- moving the rotary valve to a first position to dispense the first fluid confectionery from the dispensing member;
- further moving the rotary valve to a second position to dispense the second fluid confectionery from the dispensing member; and
- forming a continuous confectionery product having amounts of the first and second confectionery material.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the rotary valve includes a first bore extending therethrough and the moving further comprises providing fluid communication between the first inlet and the first outlet with the first bore.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the rotary valve includes a second bore extending therethrough and the further moving further comprises providing fluid communication between the second inlet and the second outlet with the second bore.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising rapidly further moving the rotary valve to form a delineation line between the first and the second confectionery material in the confectionery product.
15. The method of claim 11 further comprising slowly further moving the rotary valve to form a blend area between the first and second confectionery material in the confectionery product.
16. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving the confectionery product on a conveyor.
17. The method of claim 16 further comprising coordinating the moving and the further moving with the receiving.
18. A method for depositing a multiple phase confectionery article comprising:
- providing a depositing apparatus having a housing and a rotary valve disposed within the housing, the housing having a plurality of inlet and outlet arrangements, each inlet in fluid communication with a respective source of fluid confectionery material, each outlet in fluid communication with a dispensing member;
- sequentially moving the rotary valve to dispense an amount of each of the plurality of confectionery materials from each respective inlet and outlet arrangement through the dispensing member; and
- forming a continuous confectionery product having a sequence of each confectionery material.
19. The method of claim 18 finther comprising repeating the sequentially moving and forming a continuous confectionery product having a repeating sequence of each confectionery material.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein the sequentially moving further comprises moving the rotary valve between a first position, a second position, a third position, and a fourth position in a predetermined order.
21. A confectionery article comprising:
- a confectionery product having a width and a thickness, the confectionery product comprising at least two confectionery materials, each confectionery material extending across the width and through the thickness of the confectionery product, each confectionery material having a visually different property.
22. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein the at least two confectionery materials further comprises from about 3 to about 10 confectionery materials.
23. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein the at least two confectionery materials having a visually different property form a visual unit, the confectionery product further comprising a repeating sequence of two visual units to about 50 visual units.
24. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein the visually different property is selected from the group consisting of color, surface texture, confectionery composition and combinations thereof.
25. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein each of the at least two confectionery materials has a different organoleptic property selected from the group consisting of flavor, aroma, softness, mouthfeel, and combinations thereof.
26. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein the at least two confectionery materials are selected from the group consisting of coextruded confectionery materials and sequentially dispensed confectionery materials.
27. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein the confectionery material is selected from the group consisting of chewing gum, bubble gum, nougat, pliable confectionery material, taffy, chewy candy, caramel, and combinations thereof.
28. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein the product has a thickness from about 0.03 inches to about 2.0 inches and a length from about 1 foot to about 15 feet.
29. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein each confectionery material has a length from about 1 inch to about one foot.
30. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein each confectionery material has a width from about 0.25 inches to about 12 inches.
31. The confectionery article of claim 21 wherein each of the at least two confectionery materials is visible from the top, bottom, and sides of the confectionery product.
32. The confectionery article of claim 21 further comprising four confectionery materials, each confectionery material having a different color.
33. The confectionery article of claim 32 wherein each of the four confectionery materials has a respective different flavor.
34. The confectionery article of claim 32 wherein the length of the confectionery product is from about 6 feet to about 15 feet and the length of each confectionery material is from about one inch to about one foot.
35. The confectionery article of claim 21 further comprising a delineation line between each confectionery material.
36. The confectionery article of claim 21 further comprising a blend area between each confectionery material.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 29, 2006
Publication Date: Aug 9, 2007
Inventor: James C. Clark (St. Louis, MO)
Application Number: 11/564,512